DANCE IN REVIEW

DANCE IN REVIEW; Tap Mingles With Modern, With Wedding Inspiration

By JACK ANDERSON

Published: December 6, 2000

Tap Fusion

The University Settlement

Barry Blumenfeld combined tap steps with modern dance in his choreography for his company, Tap Fusion, on Friday night.

The mixture was particularly effective in ''Gravity -- A Day in the Life,'' a tribute to gravitational pulls. Ivy Baldwin, Jeanne Schickler, Jennifer Uzzi, Heather Warfel and Katy Woitel sank to the ground, rolled around and let their tap shoes slam against the floor.

''Civil Deconstruction,'' which featured deliberately fragmentary phrases for Ms. Uzzi, Ms. Warfel and Mr. Blumenfeld, was notable for its juxtapositions of light and heavy steps and a brief solo by Mr. Blumenfeld to the sounds of offstage tapping.

Two excerpts were shown from ''Sheva B'rachot: Seven Blessings,'' a work in progress inspired by Jewish wedding ceremonies. In the charming ''First Blessing,'' everyone danced in a ring, punctuating their circlings with occasional drum-like tapping. The scene resembled a folk dance.

''Fourth Blessing,'' totally choreographed in a modern-dance idiom, was performed barefoot by John Zullo, Ms. Schickler, Ms. Woitel and Mr. Blumenfeld, who kept pairing off into couples. The work looked bland. Perhaps tap adds bite to Mr. Blumenfeld's choreography.

In contrast, ''Things We Say in the Dark,'' a modern-dance piece choreographed and performed by Ms. Uzzi and Ms. Warfel, suffered from melodramatic writhing.

Mr. Blumenfeld also offered two rambling improvisational tap solos to music by a guitarist known as Genta. One of the pleasures of the evening was its live music created by Erik Jekabson, Greg Burrows and Katie Down for instruments ranging from a flute to water-filled bowls that chimed when struck or rubbed.